Michael Grace, Jr. : Songs, a little singing, farfisa. Lisa Ronson: Singing, hereditary metaphysics. Darren Amadio: Guitar Anti-heroism. Tod Karasik: Drum Anti-heroism. Kurt Brondo: Things with keys, buttons, fuses. Gil Abad: Bass guitar, continentialism. Erin Dermody: Singing, long-distance running. With special guest Audrey Morse on violin.
Influences
The Us we never knew. The Us we know too well.
Sounds Like
..The Secret History Promote Your Page Too..
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What critics have said about the past songs of Michael Grace Jr.
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This is music that matters to me. The songs have become requirements; Grace's obsessions suddenly seem to have become mine. The alien, the girl or boy "differing in nature or character typically to the point of incompatibility," to quote Webster's. This band reflects an amalgamation, of sounds and styles while all the while retaining an awareness of the awkwardness of youth. Each single track is better than most bands' entire album
-Ink 19
This pristine, heartbreaking panorama of teenage wastelands past and future is no mope-fest: tight instrumentation and clever lyrics give it a near-lethal bite and snap.
-Gear
When Belle and Sebastian recently performed in New York, the Scottish popsters specifically requested the presence of one band to open the show. Nope, it wasn't Hall & Oates, but good guess. It was the Long Island ensemble called My Favorite. It's really no surprise that B&S would be drawn to the chirpy pop melodies and dark, quixotic lyrics, and titles that could even make Morrissey smile...
-Boston Globe
Their "nostalgia for meaningful things," which includes black anoraks and synthesized strings, creates enough distance from the music's initial inspiration to block the pain and allow them to bask in the unmitigated joy of melodies well-delivered.
-Rolling Stone.com
Stage noir with silent dialogue that tells you high school is death and pop songs are the afterlife. And beyond this, that pop music is a kind of purgatory truth: There's no half-allegiances here--you were born to die a teenager. Be a ghost or be boring.
-Twin City Pages
Poetic themes find their perfect companion in a glorious concoction of arching, melancholy synth lines, arpeggiated '80s guitar melodies, and wistful, cooing vocals. A loving tribute to fallen idols...
-The Big Takeover
Songwriter Michael Grace delivers themes of isolation and alienation matched with upbeat tunes and sweet voices...creating a pleasantly ironic group of songs that suggest dejected suburban dwelling can inspire beauty.
-Boston Weekly
With a firm focus on melody and dance mechanics, the group has built themselves quite a following... in a time when monstrous hordes of new wave bands are springing up from the ground like potatoes wearing sunglasses, it's important to be able to recognize what made new wave so important to begin with, and why it's worth drawing upon.
-Splendid e-zine
The Secret History is band from New York City. Michael Grace, jr writes songs about ghosts and monsters and sometimes Italy. Lisa Ronson and Erin Dermody sing them. Darren Amadio, Kurt Brondo, Tod Karasik and Gil Abad tailor sounds to suit each changing mood.
Grace & the boys once had a band called My Favorite that only very clever people liked.
The Secret History's debut long player is released on Le Grand Magistery March 2010.
I totally love My Favorite and I'm glad I've found you. Just ordered my Secret History Ep, and just can't wait to get it delivered and fill my home with such good music. Best regards!
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